Mallory Family Collection

Manuscripts Collection 5

Overview of the Collection

Repository:

G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport

Creator:

Mallory family

Title:

Mallory Family Collection

Dates:

1808-1966

Extent:

12 linear ft

Abstract:

The Mallory Family Papers, 1808-1966 (bulk between 1886-1941), consist of twenty fiberdex cartons containing approximately 6,000 pieces and 38 volumes and 40 volumes which depict 150 years of business activities of an important American shipping and shipbuilding family in varying degrees of completeness. They include primarily general correspondence, genealogical notes, racing records of family yachts, yachting recollections, statistical data on vessels owned and/or built by the family, newspaper clippings, diaries, a narrative journal, positive photostatic copies of abstract logbooks, a logbook of a whaling ship, cashbooks, ledgers, letter copybooks, daybooks, estate records, minute books treasurer’s books, a stock certificated book, a sail plan book, memorial resolutions, miscellaneous printed materials, scrapbooks, and an unpublished family history. Charles Mallory, 1796-1882, Charles Henry Mallory, 1818-1890, Henry Rogers Mallory, 1848-1919, Clifford Day Mallory, 1881-1941, and Clifford Day Mallory, jr., 1916 – of Mystic, Connecticut and New York, New York, are most prominently represented in the papers, although other members of the family appear not infrequently.

Identification:

Coll. 5

Biography of the Mallory family

Four members of the Mallory Family stand out as leaders in the development of the shipping and shipbuilding interests of this large and important family which centered its activities in Mystic, Connecticut and New York, New York. The first of these was Charles Mallory who first came to Mystic in 1816. He was born in Waterford, Connecticut, on Feb. 24, 1796 and was apprenticed to his brother-in-law, Nathan Beebe, in New London, Connecticut, where he learned sail making. In 1816 he set out for Boston, Massachusetts, but stopped in Mystic instead where he soon set up his own sail loft. Early investment of surplus capital in shares in vessels enabled him to retire from sail making in 1836 to devote all of his time and energy to the operation and management of his fishing, whaling, and shipping interests. On occasion he accepted part ownership in vessels in payment for making or repairing sails. About 1850 he leased the shipyard of Joseph S. Williams in Mystic where he and his sons built a large number of both sailing and steam vessels. Upon incorporation of the Mystic River National Bank in 1851, he was chosen its firs president. In 1864 he organized the First National Bank of Mystic Bridge, purchased its entire capital stock of $100,000 and became president of the bank. Four of his sons served as directors. When one of his sons organized a shipping and commission house in New York, New York, under the name of G. H. Mallory & Co., he became senior partner. On Feb. 22, 1818, he was married to Eliza Rogers of New London who preceded him in death by about a year. Charles Mallory died at his home in Mystic on August 27, 1882 and was buried in the Elm Grove Cemetery.

Charles Henry Mallory, the son of Charles, 1796-1882, was born in Mystic, Connecticut on September 30, 1818. After being educated in the local public schools and in the private school operated by John Kirby, he went to sea and eventually served as master of several of his father’s vessels. In 1846 his father made him manager of the branch office in New York, New York, where he remained until he formed his own business. In 1866 he established the shipping and commission house of C.H. Mallory & Co. in partnership with Elihu Spicer, 1825-1893, a close associate of the family for many years. Four years later they were joined by Mallory’s sons, Charles, 1845-1918, and Henry Roberts, 1848-1919. Another son, Robert, 1856-1921, joined the company a few years later. During the Civil War, the family built several vessels for the Union Navy in its yard at Mystic. Many of these vessels were later used by C.H. Mallory & Co. in its shipping business. After operating several years in the coastal and California trade, C.H. Mallory & Co. turned to the operation of steamship lines between New York and the Gulf Coast and the West Indies about 1886. Beginning in 1862, Charles H. Mallory served on term in the Connecticut Senate. During his lifetime he was a well-known yachtsman and owned some famous sailing and racing yachts. He was long a member of the New York Yacht Club. On July 25, 1841, he was married to Eunice Denison Clift who survived him by about seven years. Charles Henry Mallory died at his home in Brooklyn, New York on March 21, 1890, and was buried at Mystic, Connecticut in Elm Grove Cemetery.

Henry Rogers Mallory, the son of Charles Henry, 1818-1890, was born at Mystic, Connecticut, on September 21, 1848. After being educated in Mystic, New London, and New Haven, Connecticut, he became associated with his father in the shipping and commission house of C.H. Mallory & Co. Between 1870 and 1893 he served as a junior member of the firm. Upon the death of Elihu Spicer in 1893, Henry R. Mallory became president of the Company. Spicer, one of the founders of C.H. Mallory & Co., and became president in 1890 upon the death of Charles H. Mallory. Henry R. Mallory continued as president of the company until 1906 when the Mallorys sold their steamship interests and the Mallory Line to Charles W. Morse who merged the Mallory Line with several other lines. This consolidated corporation soon developed financial difficulties and reorganized in 1908 as the Atlantic, Gulf and West Indies Steamship Lines with Henry R. Mallory as president. He remained in that position until he retired in 1915. The HENRY R. MALLORY was built in 1916 and was thus one of the newest and largest American steamships when it was converted into a transport vessel. It was the first American merchant ship to transport American troops and supplies to France. Besides his shipping interests, Henry R. Mallory served as director or trustee of several other companies or institutions. Like his father before him, he was an enthusiastic yachtsman and owned several famous racing yachts. He was married to Cora N. Pynchon of Springfield, Massachusetts in 1873. She survived him for almost twenty years, living until 1938. Henry Rogers Mallory died at Winter Park, Florida on March 4, 1919, and was buried at Greenwich, Connecticut, in Putnam Cemetery.

Clifford Day Mallory, the son of Henry Rogers, 1848-1919, was born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 26, 1881. He was educated at the Brooklyn Latin School and in a private school in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. His plan to study naval architecture and marine engineering was abandoned, and he entered the family business late in 1900. When the business was sold in 1906, he remained with the Mallory Line. After serving in various positions, Clifford D. Mallory became vice-president of both the Clyde and the Mallory Steamship Lines in 1910. Those posts were surrendered in 1917 when he was appointed assistant director of operations of the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation. In 1919 he resigned this position and formed a shipping company under the name of C.D. Mallory & Co., Inc., which he served as president until his death. He also served as a director or trustee of numerous other companies or institutions. Along with his shipping interests, he had a great interest in yachting and was a very active promoter of yacht racing. He was also a noted philanthropist. He was married to Rebecca Sealy of Galveston, Texas, on January 3, 1911. Clifford Day Mallory died in Miami, Florida on April 7, 1941 and was buried at Greenwich, Connecticut in Putnam Cemetery.

Clifford D. Mallory, Jr., born October 13, 1916, entered his father’s business after graduating from Philips Exeter in 1934. In July 1940, anticipating American involvement in World War II, Mallory, jr., enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served until 1945, leaving the service at the rank of lieutenant commander. He did not return to the shipping business until the mid-1950s, when he revived C.D. Mallory and Company, Inc.

Scope and Content

Of particular importance and value are the records of the New York & Texas Steamship Company, 1886-1908, which operated between New York, New York, and Galveston, Texas and correspondence of Clifford D. Mallory with Julius F. Mallory and Carl C. Cutler, ca. 1920-1940, regarding research on the history and genealogy of the Mallory family. Also of significance is correspondence of Clifford D. Mallory with William P. Stephens regarding yachting. There is also considerable correspondence between Clifford D. Mallory and William U. Swan regarding the racing records of the Mallory Family yachts. Between ca. 1939 and 1942 Clifford D. Mallory corresponded with William H. Campbell and Robert R. Campbell in Ayrshire and Glasgow, Scotland, respectively, regarding family matters and the war situation in Great Britain.

Among the letters of well known individuals are the following: Clara Barton to Henry R. Mallory, March 28, 1900; Henry Ward Beecher to Charles H. Mallory, April 24, 1875; Herbert Hoover to Frank C. Munson, June 22, 1928, and August 13, 1932; Edward N. Hurley to Frank C. Munson, July 29, 1919, and to Clifford D. Mallory, July 29, 1919, and June 8, 1922; Franklin D. Roosevelt to Frank C. Munson, September 7, 1928, and June 22 and August 24, 1932; and Woodrow Wilson to Frank C. Munson, August 24, 1918, and May 24, 1919 (signed check). The 1928 Roosevelt letter includes comments on the Presidential campaign, and the Clara Barton letter mentions an incident of the Spanish-American War. The others are all routine items.

Two scrapbooks in the collection were compiled by Rebecca Sealy Mallory to document the Navy career of her son, Clifford D. Mallory, Jr. The correspondence that makes up the bulk of these scrapbooks serves to illustrate the experiences of a young man far from home during World War II. Clifford – also known affectionately as Cip or Cippie to his family – was close to his widowed mother and his sisters, Margaret (Mal) and Barbara (Bobbie), and wrote home at least once a week from his posts in New Zealand and New Caledonia. Because of military censorship he could only hint at his naval duties, but lively descriptions of his surroundings and activities make for interesting reading. While he was posted in New Zealand he met his future wife, Pauline Cropper, and the tale of their courtship and marriage is recorded in these letters. Copies of letters to and from other friends and family members also appear in the collection. Six Sealy cousins and at least one Mallory cousin served in the armed forces, and several are mentioned frequently; George Sealy Livermore, whose name appears most often, was stationed with the Army near Clifford in both New Zealand and New Caledonia. The correspondence has been digitized and transcribed. The transcriptions are faithful to the original correspondence. Ephemera and photographs from the scrapbooks also have been digitized.

Restrictions

Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Resolutions of the Atlantic, Gulf and West Indies Steamship Lines, Clyde Steamship Co., Mallory Steamship Co., New York and Cuba Mail Steamship Co., and New York and Porto Rico Steamship Co., upon the retirement of Henry R. Mallory; 1915

“A voyage on the Sealer EMELINE (schooner) and excerpts from the journal of Washington Fosdick” by Arthur C. Watson, printed in vol. IX, no. 14 of Zoological. William Eldredge was master of the schooner on this voyage. She returned to the West Indies with a cargo of African guano.; 1931